The Greyhounds host Howard High of Macon at 7 p.m. Thursday in a preseason game, then go into their normal game-week mode before opening the regular season on the road next Thursday at Alcovy.

“I’m excited, and I hope the guys are,” coach Dwight Jones said. “I’m looking forward to the scrimmage Thursday night against somebody else to see where we are.”

With only 24 players returning from last year’s varsity, including eight starters on offense and five on defense, the Greyhounds, who were 5-5 last season, need to find out if those who have been plugged into the holes in the lineup are truly ready for prime time.

“We’ve got some good young players up from the ninth-grade team and some more good athletes who didn’t play football last season who look like they can help, but until they get out there and hit somebody and get hit at game speed, you really don’t know,” Jones said.

The coach said getting those new players a taste of game action is the top priority Thursday, but there are other things he hopes to find out.